I really can’t believe I’ve been at it this long. What started as a way to share some of the saving and earning hacks I’d been learning as a less-than-wealthy human being has morphed into a career. It’s absolute craziness and nothing that I could have predicted when I signed up for a free platform on WordPress–and then Blogspot–all those years ago.

Today, I’m pulling in an income through this site and freelance writing. I’ve been to conferences around the country, and made some of the best friends of my life I would have otherwise never met. I’m writing a book, which you can pre-order, and crazier than it all, I’ve been in touch with people whom my writing has actually helped.

That last one is the biggest one for me. The money is nice, though I’m by no means rolling in it because of my self-imposed non-workaholic schedule. But to know that my writing has directly impacted people’s lives–that’s why I started. And it’s what keeps me going. Thank you for reading. And thank you for letting me know when this stuff works for you in real life.

What’s Changed Over the Past Seven Years

When I started, blogging was a lot more social. We’d all comment on each other’s stuff, share a lot more of our personal lives and connect in direct ways.

Sure, there were people manipulating the SEO machine, which was far easier to do in 2011, but for the most part our community was tight-knit and supportive.

There are still aspects of our community that remain that way. But I myself am guilty of not leaving as many blog comments as I once did. I don’t share as much of my life as I have become more guarded and cognizant of the stories I put out there now that this site is a little bigger and my name is often attached to my work instead of my pseudonym.

And I’m not the only one. We’ve all done it. I don’t know how new bloggers do it anymore. It seems more like a business decision to start a blog than a passionate hobby. At least in the circles I’ve found myself cemented in.

I know some of you newer bloggers will disagree with me–which is great! I want to hear your stories and secrets in the comments!

Which is why I’m all the more grateful for the friendships I made back in those early days. Before everyone started quitting their 9-5. Back when we were just youngsters figuring out this whole money thing as young adults who came of age during the Recession. (Though many of my friends are Xennials–the Recession hit their careers and cash flow hard, too.)

Adjusting to the Times

So much has changed in seven years. But if you want to stay relevant, you have to keep up with the times. I’m not always the greatest at this. For example, I just joined Instagram a couple months ago. Now I understand that platform might as well be the whole internet in 2018.

I’m primarily using it to showcase my travels–which nine times out of ten are hella cheap. It’s kind of cool because while I still get to interact with the personal finance peeps I love, I also have been meeting some amazing travel bloggers who are also typically budget conscious.

I miss the community aspect of blogging, but I think rather than trying to go back and recreate an environment that may no longer exist, I’m going to try something new. Something different for me. Something a little fun–at least from my perspective.

Get Your Budget Travel Tips Featured

So I’m starting a hashtag. Check out #femmefrugalitybudgettravel on Instagram! Then use it within your own post, sharing a great travel experience you had on a low budget. I’ll be sifting through the hashtag and picking a feature to repost–full credit provided–at least once a week for #WanderlustWednesdays, getting your best tips out in front of my followers.

Wow! Seven years! Congrats! I am on year 4 come September. I do wish I would monetize mine a bit more or get more traffic but it does come down and I how much more effort you put into it. That is great you started on Instagram. I haven’t yet. Maybe someday I will have to do that. Here is to years more of blogging for you!

Thank you! And for the monetization thing…you have to find out what works best for you. My system looks a lot different from some other bloggers as I’ve tried a lot of the same methods and hit different points where I met success. Just figure out what works for you—and four years is amazing! An early anniversary congrats to you, too!

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DISCLAIMER

This blog is written for entertainment purposes only. I am not a financial professional in any way shape or form. The information that is found here are my opinions and the opinions of other readers and should not be taken as financial advice. I try to only post about things I think will be helpful to my readers and have experience with, but anything that happens as a result of you using the information provided is your responsibility alone.